Page 56 of Renewal After Dark

“I sure did.”

Liam tugged his hand free of hers and took off with Thomas to check out his older cousin’s extensive truck collection.

“How goes the battle?” Linda asked her daughter-in-law.

“Business as usual in the madhouse. How’d you end up with Liam?”

“They took Abby to the clinic with some pain.”

Maddie’s smile turned to a frown. “Oh no. What’re you hearing?”

“Nothing yet, and I’m trying not to blow it up in my mind until we know more.”

“How’s that going?”

“Not so well.”

Maddie winced. “I can’t bear to think of anything happening to those babies.”

“I know. Same.”

“Poor Abby has been through more than enough.”

Linda picked up baby Evie and took the second bottle Maddie had ready to feed the other twin.

“Grammy to the rescue,” Maddie said. “What would we do without our grandmas?”

“We’d probably die,” Hailey said with a seriousness that had her mother and grandmother laughing.

“I don’t think it’s quite come to that,” Maddie told her daughter.

“But it’s close,” Hailey said before she ran off to play with Thomas, Liam and baby Mac.

After she was gone, Linda shook her head in amusement. “She’s full of beans.”

“She gets that from your people.”

“I can’t even try to deny that. My people are nothing if not full of beans, especially the one who fathered her.”

“You said that, not me.”

Linda and Maddie fed and burped both babies, who dozed off once their bellies were full.

“Thank goodness these two can sleep through anything,” Maddie said, snuggling with Emma as the four older kids ran around the room, laughing and screaming.

Linda kissed the top of Evie’s head, her wispy blonde hair tickling Linda’s nose. “They learned that in utero, listening to their siblings long before they were born.”

“I guess I need to be grateful for the never-ending chaos, then.”

“It’s hard to believe how quickly chaos will turn to moody, sullen teenagers who’ll grow up and leave you just when they’re becoming interesting people.”

“When will that be exactly?” Maddie asked with a smile.

“Long before you’re ready.”

“I like that expression you shared with me. ‘The days are long, but the years are short.’ It’s so true. I’m already seeing that with Thomas. How is he almostseven?”

“I have no idea where all the time goes. I look at my kids… Mac will befortysoon. How?”

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